On the A-side of the vinyl, ‘Circular’ opens proceedings on a glacially dubbed-out note that recalls Pole’s refracted minimal downbeat electronics, before discretely placed hip-hop rhythms and vaguely industrial percussive textures take things out on a headnod journey that’s edged with just the right level of buzzing digital menace amidst its slightly retro-prog synth swells. By contrast, ‘Conica’ occupies considerably more ominous territory, sending crackly minimalist breakbeats crunching beneath a brooding backdrop of vast reverberating tones, growling analogue bass and some eerie minor key stabs that call to mind the synthetic Goth menace of Depeche Mode’s Violator period and its contemporary descendents such as Haujobb / Daniel Meyer. On the flipside, ‘Diagonal’ offers up what was personally my favourite of the four tracks here, beginning things in graceful IDM territory amidst icily pretty keys and delicately fluttering glitchy rhythms before suddenly taking things on a vaguely dub-styled trip that manages to deftly combine a crunching hip-hop pulse with bottomless low-end bass and a headspinning wash of treated samples. Finally, ‘Curvas’ sees Brunetto injecting elements of jazz shuffle into the mix, with smooth sampled live bass runs adding a warm downbeat funk undercurrent to slowly clicking beats, flickering hi-hats and waspy analogue synth pads, closing things off with what’s easily the most chilled-out moment here. While the slight overuse of tweaked and filtered analogue synths verges on being obtrusive at points, on the whole, Formas represents some of Brunetto’s most diverse and intriguing work yet.

Chris Downton (from Cyclic Defrost, AUS)